


Love in the Time of COVID-19

by Dr_Roslin



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Ben's Apartment Clearly Has, Feeding Rey Is Necessary, No Pregnancy, Non-Essential Touching, Only One Bed, Safe if Triggered by Pregnancy, Social-Distancing, Touch-Starved Ben Solo, Touch-Starved Rey, Touching Is Clearly Essential
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-19
Updated: 2020-03-19
Packaged: 2021-03-01 02:07:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 787
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23207467
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dr_Roslin/pseuds/Dr_Roslin
Summary: Touch-starved darlings Ben Solo and Rey Johnson have just, maybe, started dating (first date is on Saturday), when the W.H.O. declares COVID-19 a pandemic and recommends avoiding all non-essential touching.
Relationships: Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 4
Kudos: 29





	1. Chapter 1

_"I would recommend being cautious about initiating contact with new people. Remember, get creative - texts, FaceTime, picking up the phone to call... These are all good options." ___

__FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK._ _

__Rey resisted the urge to throw her phone at the wall._ _

__She really didn't want to be cautious about 'initiating contact' with new people. One new person in particular. After weeks of flirting with the hot guy who'd just opened the indie bookstore down the street from her office, she'd finally managed to get up the nerve to ask him out. They were supposed to have dinner._ _

__On Saturday._ _

__'Fucking social distancing,' she grumbled to herself._ _

___Phone calls? Seriously, when was the last time this expert dated someone new? 1999? ____ _

____She'd been texting "Big Ben" Solo for days, and there was only so much one could do with FaceTime. Well, there were things one could do, but really, she would be more comfortable doing those things face to face first, and she'd been trying to ask him out for weeks. As sexy as his voice was, she'd really like to explore where this was going - in person._ _ _ _

____Where he could use his hands._ _ _ _

____Well, there was no reason they couldn't still get together. Seriously, while the WHO had recommended avoiding initiating contact with new people and non-essential touching - getting within 6 feet of anyone, really - there was no reason why they couldn't still have dinner. She looked over at her kitchen table. So it was maybe more 4 feet in diameter than 6... close enough. Still better than eating at a crowded restaurant, right? She had ... food. She could make... something._ _ _ _

____Before she could think it through any further, she grabbed her phone and texted him._ _ _ _

___**Change in plans. Dinner, my place, 6:30.**_ **_  
_Bring wine.__**__

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_________Couldn't hurt to be prepared, right?_ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

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	2. Chapter 2

**Bring wine.**

He snorted. Well, that was a given. There was no way he was going on this date without it. He was nervous enough as it is. Still, though he'd just met Rey, he figured it was probably safer if he offered up an alternative.

He was pretty sure she lived off take-out and whatever scraps she managed to scavenge from her office.

**My kitchen is bigger.**

**Why don't you bring the wine? I'll cook.**

**6:30 still work?**

He watched the three little dots of the text message wait for what felt like an abnormally long time - fuck, had he fucked this up already? - before he got back her response.

 **Done.**  
**Be warned.**  
**I will eat whatever you put in front of me.**

He smiled as he put the phone down. This was not surprising. The amount of nervous energy and pure joy that girl expended, she had to fuel it somehow. 

He opened his pantry shelves, thinking. He couldn't wait to feed her. So, what to make? Pasta, obviously, fettuccine Alfredo with crusty bread, a side salad with tomatoes, onions and cucumbers, but first - ah, yes, a tray of cheese, salami and pickles for her to nibble on while he cooked. Dessert? He frowned. Cheesecake? Everyone liked sweets, right? Or should he go with something more salty? Salted caramel chocolate? Sweet or salty? Well, it was Rey. He'd go with both. 

He'd noticed her the first time she'd wandered into his store by accident, could tell by the way she wandered aimlessly that she wasn't used to sitting still, unusual enough for someone browsing in a bookstore. She'd come back, though, and he'd overcome his innate shyness to strike up a conversation, enjoying how she'd responded with such openness and warmth, even as her innate snark had made him laugh. There was more to Rey than met the eye, he thought, an edge under that easy laugh, and he couldn't wait to find it. 

The news channel announced "Breaking News" and he frowned as he read the new guidance from the W.H.O. on 'social distancing' and initiating contact with new people. 

FUUCCCKKKK!

Ben Solo had been an expert at social distancing since 1997. He wasn't overtly fond of new people, any people, really, and he found it viscerally uncomfortable when anyone other than close friends or family touched him. Hell, he found it difficult enough dealing with them most days. He was an expert at standing six feet away from anyone, hated crowds, social groupings with more than three people, really, and he avoided casual hugging like the plague the W.H.O had evidently found it out to be. 

He was clearly made for this moment. 

All of that being said, quarantine or no quarantine, there was no way he was cancelling on Saturday night. 

When it came to Rey, Ben Solo was very much looking forward to exploring 'non-essential' touching.

**Author's Note:**

> There's one more part to this - Ben's POV. After that, may continue? Not sure. Just kinda of a piece of fluffy fun. 
> 
> Just as a side note, the last time I went on a date _was _1999\. Happy to say it was successful._  
>  Anyway, I'm on on twitter @RandomBks if you want to say hi._


End file.
